For Anderson, 'life is all about relationships'

Sep. 24, 2013

Sheila Anderson / Submitted image

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The Anderson File

» Name: Sheila Anderson » Title: International president, Cosmopolitan International; brand manager, RAS; owner, Style U » Hometown: Born in Pierre; family moved to Mobridge when she was 5 » Age: 46 » Background: Graduated from Mobridge High School, attended South Dakota State University for graphic design and Stenotype Institute for court reporting; started working at RAS in 1995 as the receptionist; took modeling classes at Professional Image Model & Talent Agency in 2005-06 and now works through the agency on TV commercials, voice-overs, fashion shows and modeling jobs » Family: Husband, Derry » Interests and hobbies: “I have a passion for design. I can spend hours on Pinterest or any design blog. Growing up, my mom couldn’t pay me enough to be in the kitchen with her. I had absolutely no interest up until about eight years ago when I joined Weight Watchers. Now, I am always trying new recipes and watching cooking shows. I also love yoga and am addicted to my Fitbit – always striving for my 10,000 steps a day.”

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The Question and Answer feature helps readers learn more about prominent people in the business community. This issue’s Q&A profiles Sheila Anderson, brand manager at RAS and the owner of Style U. Anderson recently was elected as the international president of Cosmopolitan International.

Q: How did you become interested in your field?

A: “Growing up, I thought for sure I would become an interior designer. I was always rearranging my room and would have my dad take me out along the Missouri River where I could pick grasses to spray paint and arrange in vases around the house. It wasn’t until high school that I realized there was a graphic design field. That sparked my interest. I thought to myself, ‘These people get to do art for the rest of their lives!’ I wanted that! I found myself always looking at billboards – and I still do this – trying to figure out why they put this color with that color and why they chose that font and/or photo for their message and how would I make it better. I would look through magazines and study the layout and rearrange it in my mind. I went a different direction in life for a while with court reporting school, as that was my second career choice, but found myself always coming back to graphic design. In my mid-20s, I was finally ready to admit I was an art chick at heart. My grandmother, Leona Wojick Barthle from Sioux Falls, was an artist and received grants from the South Dakota Arts Council to do apprenticeships and was part of the Artist in School program. She did Polish art called wycinanki and even wrote a book on it. So the arts are in my blood.”

Q: What do you enjoy most about your work at RAS?

A: “I get to do something I absolutely love all day long – create! It doesn’t feel like work to me. I am also grateful to work at a company that values giving back to the community and supports their employees who have an opportunity to become so involved.”

Q: What type of clients do you work with through Style U?

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A: “Women tend to be the most interested, but I have helped some professional businessmen as well as teenagers. What I love about working with men is that you tell them what they should be wearing and they don’t argue and just buy it. With women, a lot of times it’s a different story. There is a part of them doesn’t want to give up control of what they think looks best on them, and they tend to be influenced more by their friends. Teenage girls are such a joy! You can really help build self-confidence in them and get them to understand that everyone has something on their body that they wish they could change, even the celebrities.”

Q: Why is image so important for businesses and businesspeople?

A: “People are the brand for a business. And you are your own brand. Your clothes speak for you; make sure they know what to say. Just because you don’t want to be judged by what you are wearing doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. It’s not fair, but it’s reality. Clothing helps us make snap judgments about a person’s tastes, habits, social status and more. You should align your clothes with your professional goals so your clothes can work harder for you. If your boss can picture you in a higher position –literally, through the clothes you’re wearing – you’re more likely to get that job.”

Q: How did you get involved with Cosmopolitan?

A: “It’s as simple as being asked to join. No one from any other service club ever approached me about coming and checking out their organization. Cosmopolitan International had one club in Sioux Falls, the Noon Club, of which my husband was a member. For five years, I attended Cosmopolitan social events with him and made a lot of friends, and since we were new to Sioux Falls at that time, this was a way for us to get to know other people. And I had fun at every event. In 1995, an Evening Club was formed in Sioux Falls, and I became a charter member. This allowed me to branch out and develop myself and create my own identity in this organization. I am very outgoing, so being involved in a group was a hot button for me. It met my needs for business relationships, friendships and simply belonging.

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“The advantage of Cosmopolitan being a smaller organization with around 1,800 members and 60 clubs throughout the United States and Canada is for you to really get to know a lot of the people in it, and they get to know you. For example, knowing so many of the international presidents on a personal level. And your efforts have a much greater impact on the overall cause. You really are the one making a difference.

“At the time I joined in 1995, I really didn’t know a lot of people with diabetes but knew it was a common disease. Now, 18 years later, it’s touched my family. My grandmother, father and mother-in-law all ended up with type 2. I watched firsthand with my mother-in-law how diabetes can take a toll on someone’s health. She ended up passing away from diabetes-related complications. So what started out as a social endeavor has now turned into a personal mission. People often join an organization at one level, maybe self-serving or because of a friend, but in time they become true believers and passionate about the cause.”

Q: What will you do as the international president?

A: “I will provide leadership to the organization’s clubs and federations internationally, including strategic planning, member retention and growth, and budget oversight. There are planning sessions, conference calls, club visits, visits to diabetes research facilities and a ton of public speaking. I may be the voice of our organization, but it is not without a team of passionate volunteers working together that truly creates our voice. My goal this year is to create energy and a sense of moving forward with a renewed spirit. I hope to foster a sense of unity and empowerment. I want every member to understand that she or he has the power to change our world for the better. I believe in high touch. I hope to give my position a personal touch so that Cosmopolitan International does not feel like a distant world to Cosmo members. I want to create a direct connection between the membership and the board. Membership growth is not a long-range goal. It’s an immediate need. It’s not always about gaining new members, it’s also about retention. All people need to feel they are valued and that their contributions matter.” That’s true in every area of life.”

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Q: What has been your most rewarding experience in the past year?

A: “Although I am just getting started as the international president, for me, life is all about relationships. The relationships I have built since joining Cosmopolitan will be with me forever. These are lifelong friendships, and you can never put a price on that. And every year, there are new friends to meet and lives that you will touch in ways that you may not ever know. And when being involved in any type of volunteering moves from your head to your heart, there you will find the true meaning of life. The secret to living is giving.”

Q: What do you think are the best and worst things about living in Sioux Falls?

A: “There is a sense of vitality and a pulse of moving forward. I feel an energy in of our community that I don’t often see in my many travels. We are progressive. We embrace diversity. We find common ground to move forward in a collaborative spirit. We have a community full of visionaries who aren’t afraid to fail. We foster an atmosphere of stability, trust and respect. We have giving hearts and care about the person we meet on the street. They are not a stranger; they are Sioux Falls.”